Method and means for fixing a graft in a stock



1,962 P. M. A. VLAEMINCK 3,050,905

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FIXING A GRAFT IN A STOCK Filed June 29, 1960 3,05fifiil Patented Aug. 28-, 1962 3,050,905 NETHGD AND MEANS FOR FIXING A GRAFT 3N A STGCK Paul Marie Antoine Vlaeminck, 119 Rue de la Station, Schellebelle, Belgium Filed dune 29, 196i}, Ser. No. 39,667 Claims priority, application Belgium Aug. 19, 1959 3 Claims. (Cl. 47-6) The present invention relates to a method and to a means for the fixing of a graft or scion inserted between the wood and the bark of a stock which provides the nourishment for the graft.

It is known that, to obtain a good grafting, it is necessary to maintain a leaf bud, the bearer of an eye or a bud, closely clamped between the bark and the wood of the stock, for example a wildstock so as to ensure for the graft a permanent contact with the feeding plant and to avoid the drying up or loss of the sap at the incision.

Hitherto, fixing of a bud graft on a stock has been effected by the co-operation of two specialized workers, a binder and a grafter, using bonds of rafia fibers wrapped around the neck of the plant at the place of the graft. The use of rafia bonds as a fixing means for the bud renders this operation dificult and prolonged, and the operation therefore becomes impossible in bad weather when it takes place near to the ground. In addition, it has been found that, during the development of the graft, the rafia bond does not always break at the right time which causes a choking of the graft.

This inconvenience has already been partly remedied by making an incision in the rafia bonds at the end of the season, but that operation entails additional labour which increases the net cost of the product.

The present invention has as its object the provision of a fixing method for a graft or scion which avoids all these drawbacks.

A method of producing a gait in a plant, according to this invention, comprises the steps of incising the bark of the stock, inserting the graft between the bark and the wood of the stock, and maintaining the bark against the graft by means of a resilient clip gripping the stock.

The invention may be characterized in that the fixing means is an open-sided clip having tabs or wings disposed so as, under finger pressure, to facilitate the engagement of the clip around the stock, the said tabs moving away from one another as the clip is expanded over the stock and re-approachmg one another by reason of this elasticity as the clip surrounds the stock.

According to another feature of the invention, a resilient cushion or pad is interposed between the bark and the ring or clip at the level of the incision so as to cover the latter.

Other features and details of the invention will appear from the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which only one embodiment of the improved fixing means is illustrated, by way of example:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the fixing means, from opposite sides of a leaf bud graft.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on line HL-I-II of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional View of the fixing means.

'In the drawings the same reference numbers designate the identical elements in all'the figures.

As shown in FIG. 1 there is a leaf bud graft or scion 6 introduced in known manner in an incision 5 between the bark 9 and the wood 1%) of a nourishing subject or stock 7. The leaf bud graft 6, of which only the bud appears outside the stock, is held in place by means of a fixing means formed by an elastic ring or clip 1.

This ring or clip 1 has, as shown in the figures, an opening 2 by which it is engaged laterally on to the neck 8 of the stock, practically over the whole length of the incision 5 enclosing the graft. The ring or clip 1 is provided with tabs or wings 3 which facilitate its engagement around the neck 8 as, under finger pressure they may be moved away from one another as the clip passes over the diameter of the stock, whereas they are automatically brought towards one another again, by reason of the elasticity of the ring, when the diameter of the stock has been passed and the clip almost surrounds the stock.

Due to this elasticity of the material of the ring or clip 1, the clip can open at the time of development of the graft 6 under stress from the enlarging graft whilst effec tively clamping the latter against the feeding stock at all times.

The ring or clip 1 is advantageously formed from a spn'ngy synthetic plastic material, for example polyvinyl chloride.

A spongy cushion 4 is interposed between the bark and the ring or clip 1 so as to cover the incision 5 in which the graft is inserted. This cushion 4 prevents the flow of the sap from the incision. It also is preferably of a synthetic plastic material such as polyurethane chloride and may be aflixed to the clip 1.

It will be obvious that the invention is not exclusively limited to the embodiment shown in the drawing and that modifications may be made as regards the shape, disposition and constitution of certain of the elements of the invention in its realization without departing from the scope of the present invention, provided that these modifications are not in contradiction with the subject of any of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A method of securing a scion to a stock comprising inserting a scion in an incision in the bark of a stock, engaging the scion and stock together by applying a preformed resilient member on said stock to extend only partially therearound to prevent relative movement between the stock and the scion in the direction of the incision while allowing the free growth of said scion in directions extending radially from said incision by deformation of said resilient member and providing a sap impermeable cushion between said resilient member and said stock at said incision to prevent escape of sap from said incision.

2. A method of securing a scion to a stock for a grafting operation comprising cutting an incision in the bark of the stock, inserting the scion in said incision and laterally engaging a preformed resilient sleeve on said stock to maintain the scion in said incision, the sleeve having an open portion extending parallel to said incision to provide flexibility of said sleeve radially of said incision to enable the free expansion of said sleeve during the growth of said scion.

, 3 3.-' Appa-ratus for seenringa scion to a stock for a grafting operation comprising. a flexible sleeve constituted by a single sheet adapted to resiliently engage said stock with said scion inserted therein to prevent relative movement therebetween, said sleeve being provided with a slot to permit the free expansion of the sleeve during growth of the scion in the stock, tabs integral with said sleeve and extending therefrom at said slot in planar diverging fashion to permit deforming said sleeve to widen said slot for allowing engagement of said sleeve on said stock and sap impermeable means of spongy cushion material in said sleeve and facing the slot for preventing the esca of sap from said stock.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V Dockry Dec. 31, 1946 Brill -2 July 29, 1958 Fleischhauer Dee. l5, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria 1 Mar. 11, 1918 Germany Apr. 1, 1880 Germany Oct. 1, 1932 Great Britain June 15, 1949 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1954 

